Comic Intervention
by flowerling18
Summary: <html><head></head>It'll take something extraordinary for Nozaki to realize how Chiyo feels… Mamiko and Suzuki have no doubt about it. Told in 100-word snippets.</html>
1. Dense

**Comic Intervention**

It'll take something _extraordinary _for Nozaki to realize how Chiyo feels… Mamiko and Suzuki have no doubt about it. Told in 100-word snippets. Let's go!

**Chapter 1: Dense**

"N-N-Nozaki-kun!"

Sakura was doing the thing again. As far as Nozaki knew, she always showed three symptoms: (1) beet red cheeks, (2) profuse stammering, and (3) an intense fascination for Nozaki's feet.

"I-I need t-to tell you… I f-feel… I like…" she spluttered.

_I know where this is going! _Wordlessly, he whipped out cardboard stock and a marker seemingly out of thin air. He proffered it solemnly after adding an extra flourish.

"You're my favorite beta!" it read.

At the sight of her tremulous smile, Nozaki gave himself a mental pat on the back. _Good to be one step ahead!_


	2. Eavesdroppers

**Chapter 2: Eavesdroppers**

_Not again?!_

Clutching the autograph (along with several pieces of her heart), Chiyo did her best to smile. She'd become a champ at handling Nozaki's discombobulating lack of receptiveness to romance, but even a girl of her resolve could only take so much!

"A-ah… Thank you, Nozaki-kun," she managed to whimper.

With a straight face, he gave a thumbs up and nodded. "Anything for my number one fan, of course."

Chiyo could've cried.

She had just about rallied herself when she heard a loud sniff from behind. She turned, and a fresh wave of mortification rolled over her.

"M-Mikorin?! Hori-senpai?"


	3. Cheerleaders

**Chapter 3: Cheerleaders**

Dabbing at misty eyes, Mikoshiba murmured, "Does that always happen, Sakura-chan?"

"Maybe Nozaki gave up his soul to become a published manga artist," Hori opined fearfully.

_Just who is it who needs comforting here?! _"Ah, it's really not a big deal," Chiyo soothed. "Besides, I'm happy to be Nozaki-kun's friend…"

"What's with that attitude, Sakura?" Hori rejoined. "Are you satisfied with harboring unrequited love?"

"Well, I—"

"Are you just going to let him take you for granted?" Mikoshiba challenged.

"It's just that—"

"_Never say never!_" they chorused fervently.

Chiyo winced. _Looks like they've read too much shoujo manga, after all._

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><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Thanks for reading and following lovelies! Please let me know what you think in the reviews as well. :hearts:


	4. A Dangerous Idea

**Chapter 4: A Dangerous Idea**

"So _that__'__s _what happened the first time round," a much calmer Hori later remarked. "Well, you can't really blame Nozaki."

Mikoshiba looked appalled. "Just whose side are you on, senpai?"

"It's just the way he is," Hori shrugged. "He may _get_ romance on paper, but in real life it completely flies over his head."

"But there has to be something we can do!" Mikoshiba urged.

"I'll be okay!" Chiyo laughed nervously beneath the redhead's worried gaze. "Besides, this isn't a manga; he's no Suzuki, and I'm no Mamiko."

A dangerous light sparked in Hori's eyes. "But perhaps you _can _be."


	5. Life's a Stage

**Chapter 5: Life's a Stage**

Registering Hori's suggestion a moment too late, Chiyo gulped in fear… and began plotting a way out of the impending mischief.

"Look, no one can better knock some sense into Nozaki than his own heroine. And imagine the shock value!"

"What on earth are you taking about, senpai?" Mikoshiba asked.

"Simple! Sakura dresses up like Mamiko, Mamiko points out Nozaki's amorous failings, he experiences an epiphany and _voila!_ Sakura's got her happy ending."

Chiyo massaged her temples. "Hori-senpai, is this, like, a plot in one of your plays?"

A rustle of paper behind his back belied Hori's answer. "Er, no."

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><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>I don't know how FF counts up the words in these files, but I assure you the 100-word mark is hit every time. Hope you're enjoying this little bit of comedic craziness (at the expense of our favorite characters) thus far!


	6. Mamikoshiba

**Chapter 6: Mami…koshiba**

"Then would you rather be 'fan-zoned' long into the foreseeable future?"

Blanching at the idea, Chiyo quickly replied, "N-No! I just, I mean… there's got to be another way! Besides, I'm nothing like Mamiko!"

Mikoshiba cupped his chin and studied Chiyo. "Actually, if we just…" He then removed one of her bows, arranged her hair into a half-ponytail, and stepped back to admire his handiwork. "Perfect!"

"I-I actually meant in terms of personality."

"Someone who's just like Mamiko, huh?" Hori mused. "Just… like…"

As realization dawned, Hori and Chiyo looked straight at Mikoshiba… who could only stare back in horror.


	7. Secret Weapon

**Chapter 7: Secret Weapon**

"_No. Way."_

All devious grin and dancing eyebrows, Hori began, "Aww, but Mi—"

"Not now, not tomorrow, not in a million years, _NO!_ You've gone crazy if you think I'll actually dress up like Mamiko and seduce Nozaki!" Mikoshiba huffed, pouted and blushed… at which point Chiyo nearly burst into giggles. _He's Mamiko in the flesh!_

"You won't be seducing _anyone,_" Hori smirked. "Think of it as being… a cosplaying mediator. Whatever happened to helping Sakura, anyway?"

"It's okay, Mikorin. You don't have to do this."

Mikoshiba took one look at Chiyo and groaned. "Oh _no, _Sakura. Anything but _that!"_


	8. Trumped

**Chapter 8: Trumped**

Chiyo was never wont to squander her trump card, yet sometimes she simply couldn't resist.

"I mean, you _did _offer to help, but it's really not a big deal."

"Sakura, please… Not like this… Argh!" Mikoshiba attempted to turn away, but it was too late.

Irresistible puppy dog eyes had already spelled Chiyo's victory.

Falling on trembling hands and knees, the red head murmured, "That was cruel, Sakura."

"There, there," Chiyo said too brightly. "It's really kind and awesome of you to agree to this!"

"You owe me one… no, _two _bishoujo figures!"

"Of course, Mikorin," she laughed, "Of course."


	9. Unprepared

**Chapter 9: Unprepared**

"Now, you know what will _really _help get you into character?" Hori said.

"What, a wig and a girl's uniform?" Mikoshiba snorted.

"Ha! You're smarter than you let on, Mikoshiba!"

A scuffle and a half later, a tenacious, victorious drama club president loomed over a quivering, sniffling redhead… who made for a rather convincing Mamiko.

With mounting concern for her costume-clad, green-faced friend, Chiyo murmured, "Isn't Mikorin quite overwhelmed, Hori-senpai?"

"Nonsense! We need to rehearse immediately! Here's your script, Mikoshiba. I'll be playing Nozaki, and—"

_Thump! _"Umm, Hori-senpai…" Chiyo began.

"Hmm… Guess he wanted a Sleeping Beauty moment," Hori sighed.

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><p>Just to let y'all know… I haven't abandoned this story! Hope you all had very happy holidays, my lovely readers!<p> 


	10. Vision

**Chapter 10: Vision**

_Where could Sakura have gone to? _Nozaki thought. His beta had somehow vanished after he bestowed her another autograph. _Was she so moved that she had to be alone? _The mangaka was thus lost in presumptuous thought when he rounded the corner… to find a sight most unexpected.

At the end of the hallway, a girl stood with her back toward him, her orange tresses pinned back with a bow in a half-pony tail. She looked strangely familiar, for indeed, she reminded him of…

"M-Mamiko?"

Long strides failed to reach her in time, leaving a bewildered Nozaki alone to wonder.


End file.
